Red Hill Lutheran School

Overview

Red Hill Lutheran School is a Lutheran K-8 private school in Tustin, California, serving grades K-8, founded in 1961, with about 392 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $10,950 to $11,150, which puts it in the middle range among Orange County private schools at this level. Religion classes are required, so confirm your family is comfortable with that before applying.

Admissions

No standardized entrance exam; admission uses an on-campus assessment or visit day.

Applications typically open in the fall and close in January or February; check the school website for the current year’s dates.

The main entry points at a K-8 school are kindergarten and grade 6. Younger applicants are usually evaluated through an on-campus visit, while most applicants above grade 5 need an ISEE score. Start in the fall of the year before entry: visit first to confirm the school is a fit, then decide whether to register for testing.

Tuition and fees

$10,950 per year (K-5) and $11,150 per year (grades 6-8); preschool full day is $11,650 for five days, $8,600 for three days and $6,800 for two days (2026-27, school website, Fees and Tuition Schedule PDF)

Academics and programs

• Multi-level Spanish courses; STEM and engineering, 3D printing, VEX robotics and home economics (school website, Academics & Specialty page)
• Performing arts department: concert band, string orchestra, drumline, worship band, the Singspiration choir, drama, musical theater and dance team (school website, Academics & Specialty page)
• GATE gifted program, Resource learning support program, MTSS multi-tiered system of supports, and Habits of Mind School of Distinction (school website, Academics section)
• Block schedule in middle school, with the four core subjects meeting for 80 minutes on alternating days; electives include handbells, band, ASB, drama, STEAM, Spanish, robotics, coding and psychology (school website, Middle School page)
• Extended care until 6:00 p.m., with drop-in care at $15 per half hour; summer camp, after-school enrichment classes and private tutoring with teachers (school website, Extended Care page)

How this school compares

These are the nearest schools at the same level and a comparable price. Select a name to open that school’s admissions guide:

School	City	Grades	Tuition	Entrance test	Class size	Distance
Red Hill Lutheran School	Tustin	K-8	$10,950	On-campus assessment	—	—
St. Cecilia Catholic School	Tustin	K-8	$9,200	—	—	1.5 mi
Holy Family Catholic School	Orange	K-8	$9,365	On-campus assessment	—	3.7 mi
St. John’s Lutheran School	Orange	K-8	$9,410	On-campus assessment	—	3.9 mi
Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac Catholic School – Tustin	Tustin	K-8	Not published	—	—	1.8 mi

Where students go next

The school website states that once students move on to high school, “most” of them are placed in honors classes (Middle School page); it does not publish a list of high school placements

Applying to high school from here usually begins in the spring of grade 7: sit the ISEE or HSPT in the fall of grade 8, then submit materials between November and January. EDUBUS works backward from each target high school’s requirements to plan grades, activities and test preparation across the K-8 years.

Total tuition through graduation

At the 2026-27 rate of $10,950, 9 years covering grades K-8 come to roughly $98,550 in tuition alone. Assuming the 4% annual increase common at private schools, the figure is closer to $116,000. Neither number includes registration fees, deposits, uniforms or activity fees. A California 529 plan can cover up to $10,000 per child per year of K-12 tuition.

Getting there from Irvine

These are straight-line distances from neighborhoods where many Irvine families live. Actual drive times will be longer, and a morning rush-hour trip typically takes 1.5 to 2 times as long as an off-peak one:

Neighborhood	Straight-line distance
Woodbury	4.7 miles
Northwood	1.9 miles
Turtle Rock	7.4 miles
Portola Springs	6.4 miles

The website does not describe bus service; confirm this during your visit.

Questions to ask on a campus visit

• Whether religion classes and chapel are required, and how many families are not members of the faith
• Whether the ISEE is required above grade 5, and roughly where the score bar sits
• How many mid-year openings come up in a typical year, and how the waitlist works
• Registration, technology, uniform and activity fees beyond tuition

How EDUBUS helps

Our Irvine-based counselors work in both Chinese and English. We track Red Hill Lutheran School’s admissions calendar, prepare students for the campus visit and interview, and review application materials before they are submitted. Book a school-selection consultation or read the Chinese version of this page.